FOCUS CITIES

Two urban locations have been selected to demonstrate implementation of innovations and approaches to improve the entire sanitation chain.

Tiruchirappalli

Trichy is the fourth largest Municipal Corporation in Tamil Nadu, and is home to more than 9,16,000 people living in 65 Wards. Trichy has been adjudged as among the top few sanitized cities in India, when it claimed the sixth spot in the Government of India’s National Sanitation Rating Survey in 2016-17.

Safe Containment:
Under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U), the TCC has undertaken construction of many individual household toilets to improve the sanitation situation. Trichy has been a model for provision of good quality community toilets for most of its poor residents, and has been a pioneer for maintenance management due to combined efforts of TCC and NGOs. The TNUSSP has organised masons’ training programmes in Trichy to re-orient and train masons and builders in constructing proper septic tanks and twin pits that are properly designed and are not prone to exfiltration and leakages.

Safe Emptying and Conveyance:
Trichy’s existing sewerage system partially covers the city, and septage management solutions were chosen to complement sewerage system to reach 100% sanitation quickly. The TCC promotes co-treatment of septage with sewage (from the UGD system). To ensure co-treatment and reasonable travel distances for sludge operators, the TCC has three decanting stations in and around Trichy city. Orientation programmes on fecal sludge management and the importance of their role in the sanitation cycle have been organised for de-sludging operators and their workers by TNUSSP. Information has also been shared about improved design of de-sludging vehicles, personal protective equipment and occupational safety procedures to ensure safe and efficient sludge management practices.

Safe Treatment:
The TCC operates a Waste Stabilization Pond (WSP) with a capacity of 88.6 Million Litres per Day (MLD), treats about 43 MLD of wastewater at present. The TCC is planning improvements to the WSP so that it can treat more loads in the future and with greater efficiency. In addition, the TNUSSP is supporting the TCC in constructing a Fecal Sludge Treatment Plant (FSTP), with a capacity to treat 32 Kilo Litres per Day (KLD).

Periyanaicken-palayam and Narasimhanaicken-palayam Town Panchayats

The PNP and NNP TPs are in Coimbatore District. PNP is a Class III TP spread over about 9.4 sq km, and has 18 Wards with a total population of about 26,000 (about 7,400 households). NNP is a Class IV TP with an area of 6.4 sq km, and has 15 Wards with a population of about 17,900 (about 5,000 households).

Safe Containment:
Under the (SBM-U), the two TPs have undertaken surveys and construction of many individual household toilets is going on to improve the sanitation situation. Masons’ training programmes have been held in PNP, to re-orient the masons/builders to construct proper septic tanks and twin pits that perform according to design. An improvement plan for the Public Sanitary Conveniences (PSC) including sustainable O & M arrangements will be drawn up based on an assessment study.

Safe Emptying and Conveyance:
At present, all desludging operators operating in and around Coimbatore are registered with the Coimbatore City Corporation and efforts are being made to register them in the Town Panchayats as well. Orientation programmes on fecal sludge management and the importance of their role in the sanitation cycle have been organised for de-sludging operators and their workers in the two TPs. Information has also been shared about improved design of de-sludging vehicles, personal protective equipment and occupational safety procedures.

Safe Treatment:
An FSTP with 22 KLD (kilo litres per day) capacity is being constructed and is expected to cater to the needs of the PNP and NNP TPs (and later other areas if feasible). The Council of the PNP Town Panchayat has provided land for this facility in their resource recovery park premises.

Stakeholder Engagement:
Two Working Groups, one for each TP headed by the respective Chairpersons of the Town Panchayat Councils, have been formed and these meet monthly to review progress of sanitation actions. These Working Groups have as members the key government officers, as well as representatives from private sector and civil society.